M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)
The M1918A2 BAR The M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) The M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a light machine gun used in World War II. The BAR shot a .30-06 round, used in the M1903 Springfield Rifle, and Browning M1917 machine gun. The gun could have a bipod, flash suppressor, or a carrying handle, all of which can be taken off to reduce the weight. The BAR could shoot from 375, to 550 or 600 Rounds per Minute (RPM). It was used by the every US personnal, excluding the Air Force, from World War II to the end of Vietnam, where it was mostly replaced by the M60 machine gun, and both the M16 and M14 rifles. Many international variants of the BAR have been produced, mainly FN Herstal. The BAR is considered the first true successful mobile light machine gun. History The M1918 BAR was designed by po, with a final design in 1918. It was intended to replace both the French Chauchat and the bolt action rifle. However, the gun was too heavy to be a rifle, so by World War II, the BAR became the Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW or Light Machine Gun). The first BAR was used in World War I by John Browning's son, Val. It had tremendous fire power, giving one man the mobility of a riflemen, with the fire power of a machine gun. Unfortunetly, the war ended in 1918, so the BAR saw little use in World War I. During the prohibition era, the BAR was used along side the famed Thompson Sub Machine Gun. It was mostly used by the duo, Bonnie and Clyde, in which Clyde created a "sawed-off" BAR, with a shorter barrel. The BAR was eventually used by the police (ironically to kill Bonnie and Clyde with), and Colt firearms created a special BAR, dubbed, the Colt Monitor, very few models were ever made. By World War II, two new BARs was designed, dubbed the M1918A1 and A2 BAR. The A1 was identical to the original, showing the same design. The A2 brought a new bipod, carrying handle, flash suppressor, new buttstock, and a different style hand guard. Both the A1 and A2 saw service in World War II. The M1918A2 was the more common one, as the military liked it more, and it was better for supprssive fire. Most soldiers took off the accessories like the bipod and carrying handle, to reduce the weight of the gun, as the BAR weighted around 23 ibs. The BAR was a reliable weapon, and most soldiers tended to favor the weapon. The weapon design was used by other countries, such as the Polish, and even the Germans. The European model was the zb. 28, an FN Herstal model (which is another Browning licensed company). The M1918A2 BAR did have certain drawbacks, as the gun only had 20 rounds, and a fixed, non-replacable barrel, but, it was still the US militarys Light Machine Gun until Vietnam. The BAR was first to be replaced by the M14, a combination of World War II firearms, the BAR beinging one of them. The M14 later proved to be disappointing, but the BAR was offically replaced by the M60 machine gun. However, the BAR did see service throughout Vietnam, from both South Vietnamese regulars, and US personnal. After Vietnam, the BAR was taken out in favor of the M60, and later FN Minimi (M249 SAW). Band of Brothers The BAR is the M1918A2 variant and is rarely seen in the series and is only seen being fired twice, once where the gun sound is actually audible. The BAR is mainly in the hands of Cpl. Mellet. The BAR is never seen in the first 3 episodes, as BARs weren't really given to Airbourne troops because of it's weight. The BAR is last seen after Cpl. Mellet dies from the sniper in Bastonge. The BAR is seen with the bipod, either down or up. Cpl. Mellet tends to fire the BAR at 550 RPM, as the BAR had a select fire switch. The only scene where the BARs sound can be heard is in Bastonge when Mellet tries to kill the sniper that just shot Perconte. Gallery Bob5bar1.jpg|Mellet with the bipod folded down, as Winters tells him to "nail the machine gun" Bob5bar5.jpg|Mellet with his BAR over his back HeronBAR.jpg|Mellet with his BAR at the attack of Foy Bob4bar3.jpg|Mellet with his BAR during Operation Market Garden Category:Weapons